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Judd Legum Profile picture
@JuddLegum
Nov 29, 2023 • 11 tweets • 4 min read • Read on X
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1. Earlier this month, a mysterious woman appeared before a school board in Texas and claimed that, when she was 11, she READ A SCHOLASTIC BOOK THAT SPARKED A DEBILITATING PORN ADDICTION.

We investigated.

And it's ABSOLUTELY WILD what is happening.

🧵 Image
2. The woman was 20-year-old Lanah Burkhardt.

Burkhardt said after reading a Scholastic book that depicted a "single kiss," she "looked for other books that gave me pleasure." This "led to internet searches" that she will "never forget."

popular.info/p/mysterious-w…
3. Burkhardt cited her story as a reason to restrict access to Drama, a novel published by Scholastic. The book includes this image of two people kissing: Image
4. But Burkhardt went further, arguing that Conroe should remove all Scholastic books from schools and stop hosting Scholastic book fairs.

According to Burkhardt, "getting rid of Scholastic books and their book fairs will inevitably protect kids."

popular.info/p/mysterious-w…
4. Burkhardt's appearance was promoted by SkyTree Book Fairs, a newly formed organization marketing itself as "an alternative to the sexually explicit content distributed in Scholastic's book fairs." Image
5. SkyTree Book Fairs presents itself as an independent non-profit. But it appears to be a hastily assembled offshoot of Brave Books, which publishes children's books by right-wing pundits

The president of SkyTree Book Fairs was recently an "Executive Assistant" at Brave Books Image
6. Burkhardt's appearance at the Conroe school board was also promoted by Brave Books. The company called it a "must watch" and a "powerful message that needs to be heard."

popular.info/p/mysterious-w…
7. Neither Brave Books nor Burkhardt disclosed that Burkhardt is an employee of Brave Books. According to her LinkedIn profile, Burkhardt is the company's "public relations coordinator." Image
8. The Conroe school board, after listening to Burkhardt's story, voted to restrict access to Drama from all students in the 8th grade and below. One of the school board members, Melissa Dungan, suggested replacing Scholastic with SkyTree Book Fairs. Image
9. More on Brave Books/SkyTree and their scheme to replace Scholastic with kids' books written by right-wing Pizzagate conspiracy theorists in today's newsletter

popular.info/p/mysterious-w…
10. For UPDATES and more accountability journalism, subscribe to Popular Information.

It's free to sign up.

popular.info/subscribe

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More from @JuddLegum

Judd Legum Profile picture
May 4
1. ICE has not paid for detainee medical care for 7 MONTHS

The termination of payments to providers has coincided with a MASSIVE SPIKE in detainee deaths.

This is a health crisis and a moral crisis.

Follow along for details.

🧵
2. On October 3, 2025, the Trump admin stopped paying 3rd parties for medical care for ICE detainees.

In November 2025, ICE said the situation was an “absolute emergency” that needed to be fixed “immediately” to “prevent any further... loss of life.”

popular.info/p/ice-has-not-…
3. According to the ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), payments to third parties were supposed to resume on April 30. ICE has contracted with a private firm, Acentra Health, to process reimbursements.

But April 30 came and went, and still, nothing is being processed. Image
Image
Read 6 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Apr 27
1. A member of the U.S. Special Forces was just arrested for using classified info to turn a 400K profit on Polymarket.

The company is CELEBRATING this scandal as evidence that "the system works."

But Polymarket's story doesn't add up.

Let's dig in.

🧵
2. Gannon Van Dyke, part of the Special Forces unit that captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, was indicted for misappropriating classified information to turn a 400K profit on Polymarket.

popular.info/p/polymarket-c…
3. Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan posted: “We flagged this, referred it, and cooperated throughout the process.”

But indictment credits “reports of unusual trading" in "the press and on social media” with bringing scrutiny to Van Dyke's accounts.

Polymarket’s internal systems are not mentioned.
Read 9 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Apr 23
1. A tiny California tribe, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, just donated $2 MILLION to MAGA Inc, Trump's Super PAC.

I decided to find out why.

It's an illustration of exactly how business is done in Trump’s Washington.

Follow along for details.

🧵 Image
2. The Yocha Dehe operates the Cache Creek Casino Resort. For a decade, the Yocha Dehe has been in a legal dispute with the Scotts Valley tribe, which is trying to build a casino about 60 miles away.

popular.info/p/a-tiny-calif…
3. For Scotts Valley to build their casion, they need a technical determination by the Interior Department that “restored lands” — property with both a historical and modern connection to the tribe.

That enables them to get the green light for gaming.
Read 11 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Apr 20
1. As Jared Kushner heads to Pakistan to represent the United States in critical talks with Iran, the media is ignoring a historic corruption scandal.

Kushner is serving in this role while on the payroll of the Saudi government.

Let's look at the data.

🧵 Image
2. Since 2021, Kushner has collected more than $110 million in management fees from the Saudi government.

Now, Kushner has seeking billions more from the Saudis.

popular.info/p/the-media-bl…
3. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the de facto ruler of the country, reportedly lobbied Trump both to initiate and continue the war.
Read 7 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Apr 16
1. For $500,000, you can have a one-on-one meeting with Trump tomorrow, according to an email solicitation obtained by Popular Information.

Follow this thread for details.

🧵 Image
2. The email from Sinan Kanatsiz offers a “one-on-one meeting and private photo with President Donald Trump” in exchange for a “contribution of $500,000 to TPUSA PAC.”

Kanatsiz confirmed the authenticity of the offer.

popular.info/p/500000-buys-…
3. Kanatsiz describes his invitation as “strictly confidential and non-transferable.” The bottom of the message warns, “NOT FOR SHARING — CONFIDENTIAL.” A source shared the email on the condition of anonymity, fearing professional consequences for providing information to a journalist.
Read 8 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Mar 25
1. Yesterday, the NYT dropped a bombshell: Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has been aggressively lobbying Trump not to end the fighting and pushing him to launch a ground operation.

Why would Trump listen?

Follow the money. Image
2. Oddly, the NYT does not mention that earlier this year the Saudi government financed a $7 billion development with the Trump Organization.

These licensing deals are essentially all profit for Trump. It's putting money right in his pocket.

popular.info/p/update-after…
3. The NYT story also does not mention that Trump’s chief negotiator, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, is being paid tens of millions annually by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is controlled by MBS.

And Kushner is actively soliciting MBS for billions more right now. Image
Read 7 tweets

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